OMG- talk about GREMLINS. We are going crazy. A week ago I started the car after a day of errands and there were no electrical accessories. I drove home and things seemed ok until I heard a noise under the hood. After that the car wouldn't start. The starter was tested and replaced. The car ran fine for 2 days, then the same thing happened- first no accessories, got it home, tried to restart and nothing happened. Took the new starter off, had it tested and it had a bad solenoid. Got a new starter. Put it on and the same thing happened. Took it back, had it tested and it was some OTHER electrical issue with it. Got a new starter put IT on, got 2 more days out of it and now- no accessories. got it home lifted the hood and the starter is burned out again. The starters are from a neighborhood parts store with a not so good reputation for their rebuilds, but we're not sure THAT'S really the problem. We've had the battery checked- it's good. We've had the alternator checked- it's good. We've visually inspected every inch of the harness we can get to and can't see any issues- we've patched anything even questionable. I'm wondering if the starter(s) haven't been under some kind of extra load so they are burning out- like say, can't get the fly-wheel turning easily for some reason?? Grasping at straws at this point and really really can't afford to take it in unless we must. Does ANYONE Have any ideas???

 

See if you can find an OEM Volvo starter in a local junk yard.

I hate Rebuilds!!!!!!

 

The fact that your electrical accessories do not work make me think that the electrical part of your ignition switch is bad. They are known to go out. There is also something wrong with your starters unless you are burning them out by running them continuously.

 

I guess I don't understand about "running the starter continuously"....how would that happen? doesn't the starter just engage when starting the car? I will look into the ignition thing- I wondered about that. It's just weird that the same pattern happens every time.

Now for an extra bit of weirdness. One thing I didn't mention before is that all of this started when the heat ramped up here in Austin. I thought this was coincidental but perhaps not. On some of the websites I saw posts about people finding that their car would start after it had been sitting (cooling off) for a bit. Now mind you, we tried that on previous starters, but I figured hey- it's cooled down outside, why not give it a try. I went out and it started with no problems AND the electrical stuff is working. Earlier today it was hot. When I got home earlier and lifted the hood there was a faint smoking and it smelled electrical. I thought for sure I'd lost the starter again, but it has held on thus far. Any additional thoughts?? I know this is complicated. egads.

 

by running continuously I meant running the starter until it overheats. Normally it only takes a few seconds to start a car, a few minutes will ruin it.

 

Visit www.stepbystepvolvo.com for diagnosing no-starts on 740/940. Don't know if yours is a starter problem.